Inspirator for gas burners



NOV. 13, 1945. I E MQXL'EY 2,388,930

INSPIRATOR FOR GAS BURNERS Filed July 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

AuZemEM (Ze y,

Nqv. 13, 1945. A. E. MOXLEY 2,388,930

INSPIRATOR FQR GAS BURNERS Filed July 6, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l I INVENTOR. 6f 62 flulerz, ffbxi'ey,

Patented Nov. 13, 1945 IN SPIRATOR FOR GAS BURNERS Auben E. Moxley, East Orange, J. Application July 6, 1944, Serial No. 543,646

9 Claims.

This invention relates generally to improvements in inspirators for serving a combustible mixture of fuel gas and air to burner equipped industrial and domestic furnaces, kilns, ovens, dryers, heaters, boilers, refrigerating equipment, and the like; and the invention has reference,

more particularly, to a novel inspirator structure of the type utilizing high pressure gas to inspirate air in forming the desired fuel mixture, said structure being provided with a movably mounted spud holder and air shutter means which is subject to temporary displacement from normal operative relation to the Venturi throat member of the inspirator, whereby to permit quick and easy cleansing of the spud and Venturi throat passages, or removal and replacement of the spud and like operations, without necessity for disconnecting gas service or other connections, disturbing the air shutter adjustment, or otherwise dismantling the structure assembly.

In gas burning systems it is generally, although not necessarily, the practice to provide an inspirator means for each individual burner, and often such systems involve the use of a multiplicity of burners in a single installation, in order to provide uniform and wide distribution of heat, and consequently the task of caring for and cleaning the inspirators is one of considerable magnitude, as e. g. in industrial plants where several hundred and even thousands of individual burner-inspirator units are installed. In the operation of such burner-inspirator units, especially when of the type utilizing high pressure gas to inspirate air, the air is drawn from the room, or other place occupied by the installation, by the movement of the relatively high velocity gas stream through the 'Venturi throat member; such ingoing air being thereby thoroughly intermingled with the gas to form the fuel mixture finallydelivered to the burner. The air surrounding the inspirator means is generally laden with foreign matter carried in suspension. For example, in textile mills lint is present in considerable quantities; in foundries dust, smoke and soot are present; in bakeries flour is present; and in other industries many other types of foreign matter are present. All such air-borne substances, are likely to be drawn into the inspirator means and to become deposited in and around the air and gas passages, so that accumulations thereof tend to obstruct the latter, and thu prevent a free flow of gas and air, thereby interfering with proper functioning of the burner system,

to an extent frequently involving inefficient and incomplete combustion of the fuel. Some atfor substantial periods of time.

tempt has been made to remedy these conditions by providing the inspirator means with air filter means, but practical air filters of reasonable initial and replacement cost have not been available. The real remedy has been found to be a thorough cleaning of the inspirator means at frequent and regular intervals. The design of inspirator means heretofore in use have not, however, been well adapted for quick and easy cleaning and quick return to service. In many cases accessibility for cleaning can not be gained without more or less dismantling of the inspirator assembly, disturbance air shutter adjustment or bodily disconnection and detachment of the spud holder. labor is lost, as well as loss of service of the unit Furthermore, when the air shutter adjustment is disturbed, upon return of the inspirator means to service, time consuming air shutter observance and adjusting manipulations are required to be performed before efficient operation is again assured, and risk of burner operation with poor or incomplete combustion, soot accumulation, or overheating of the burner member, avoided. '1

Having the above conditions in view, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel constructio n of ,inspirato'r'means for gas fuel burners, wherein the gas delivery means thereof ineludes a movable holder for the gas discfiarge spud, so mounted and manipulatable as to be capable of being quickly and easily moved to an offset position relative to the Venturi throat member, whereby to exposethe spud and air shutter on the one hand, and the Venturi throat member on the other hand, for easy and quick accessibility for cleaning, all without necessity for disconnecting any joints or other connections, and without necessity for disturbing given adjustments of the air shutter means; such movement being easily accomplished by one hand of the operator, whereby the cleaning per so can be done by the other hand, and the holder thereupon quickly returned to normal operative relation to the Venturi throat member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel inspirator means for gas burners characterized as above stated, includin a gas shutoff valve means adapted to be automatically operated by the movements of the movable spud holder.

The invention has for a furtherobject to provide a novel inspirator means for gas burners characterized as above stated, including means for automatically returning the movable spud As a consequence'of this, much time and holder to normal operative relation to the Venturi throat member when released by the operator after cleaning.

Other objects of this invention, not at this time more particularly enumerated, will be understood from the following detailed description of the same.

Illustrative embodiments of this invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation in part longitudinal section of one form of inspirator means for gas burners according to this invention; Fig. 2 is an external end elevational view of the same; Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view of the same, taken on line 3-3 in Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is another transverse sectional viewtherethrough, taken on line 4-4 in Fig. 1-. i

, Fig. 5 is an external end elevational view in part section of another and modified form of the \inspirator means according to this invention; and Fig. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof, taken on line G6 in said Fig. 5. v

Fig. 7 is also an external end elevational view of a further modified form of the inspirator means according tothis invention.

Similar characters of reference are employed in the hereinabove described views to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring to the illustrative embodiment of inspirator structure according 'to this invention which is shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the same comprises a main body ID, the upper part of which is formed to provide a Venturi section I I, the passage l2 of which is provided with the usual restricted throat portion l3 and the outwardly open mouth portion f M leading thereto;

Said passage l2 leads to a burner (not shown) to which the fuel mixture formed in the Venturi section is delivered for combustion at such burner. v

The gas delivery means and spud holder of the inspirator structure "is connected with the main body l-ll so as to swing about an axis parallel to the axis of the Venturi section II, and comprises a perpendicular spud holder arm l5 having at its upper end an inwardly projecting angular'branch l6 which is normally disposed in alignment with the axis of said Venturi section I and having at its lower end an inwardly projectin angular branch ll. Extending through said'lower branch l1, spud holder arm l5 and upper branch I6 is a gas delivery passage |8. The inner free end of said upper branch I6 is externally screw-threaded to adjustably mount thereon an air shutter member l9. Said air shutter member I9 is provided with an external outwardly flared flange 20, the free peripheral edge 2| of which is opposed to the peripheral edge 22 ..of the mouth portion 14 of said Venturi section whereby said opposed edges may be relatively spaced, by shifting the air shutter member l9 longitudinally on the branch I6, thereby to determine the area of an intermediate air intake passage 23, and thus the desired proportional quantity of air admitted for admixture with the gas to form the combustible mixture delivered to and to be burned at the burner which is served by the inspirator structure. A lock nut I9 serves to secure the air shutter member in adjusted position. Suitably supported within the outer end of said upper branch I6 of the spud holder arm I5 is a spud 24 having an axial gas discharge orifice 25 of suitable area with which the discharge end of the gas delivery passage l8 communicates.

The gas delivery and spud holder mean is pivotally connected with the main body I0 so a to swing about the axis of said lower branch l1, and such pivotal connection is arranged to include a normally open gas shut-off valve means, which is adapted to be automatically closed when said spud holder arm i5 is swung about the pivotal connection so as to carry its 'upper branch l6, and the air shutter member l9 and cooperatin gas discharge spud 24, out of register with the Venturi section passage, and to a freely offset position permitting access to these parts (which position is indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2). Said gas shut-off valve means is preferably of the tapered rotary plug type, and comprises a valve plug 26, rotatabiy mounted in a valve chamber 2'lwith which the main body I is provided. Said valve plug 26 is aflixed to the end of the branch I! of the spud holder arm l5, preferably as, an integral part thereof, and thus serves as the pivoting journal of the latter. Said valve plug 26 is provided with a lateral intake port 23, and an axial discharge port 29', the latter being in communication with the gas delivery passage [8. The valve chamber 21 is provided with a gas admission port 29, with which the valve plug intake port 28 is normally in register for admission of gas for passage through the valve plug, gas delivery passage l8 and spud 24. Preferably, said ports .28 and 29 are of elongated slot-like form, whereby the same will be relatively moved to shut off gas flow therethrough during the initial stages of out swing imparted to the spud holder arm I5, so that the gas is shut off before the orifice 25 of the spud 24 passes outwardly beyond the peripheral edge 22 of the mouth portion of the Venturi section II. A gas-supply pipe 30, leading from a suitable gas source, is connected with the main body l0, and in communication with' the gas admission port 29 with which the valve chamber 21 is provided. Means is provided for tensionally urging the tapered valve plug 26 in close fitting relation to the walls of the valve chamber 21. Such means comprises an axial stem 3| arranged to project exteriorly from the main body l0 and through a seating washer 32 which is backed by said main body. Mounted on the free end portion of said stem 3| is a thrust washer 33 which is adjustably supported thereon by lock nuts 34. Mounted around the stem 3| between the seating washer 32 and the thrust washer 33 is a compression spring 35 adapted to exert an axial thrust upon the valve plug 26 to hold the same in close fitting contact with the walls of the valve chamber 21. It may be here pointed out that the cooperative tapers of the valve plug 26 and chamber 21 may be reversed, i. e. so as to taper toward the discharge end of the valve, whereby to take advantage of gas pressure as an aid in keeping the valve plug in close and gastight contact with the walls of the valve chamber. As well-known to the plug valve art,

means (not shown) may be provided, if desired,

for serving a lubricant to and between the contacting surfaces of the valve plug andvalve chamber.

Means is provided for both limiting the outswinging movement of the spud holder and for automatically returning the same to normal operative relation to the Venturi section I In an illustrative form of such means, as shown, the same comprises a stop arm 36 affixed to the valve plug stem 3| for radial extension therefrom. In normal position, i. 6. when the ga admission valve is open and the spud holder is operatively related to the Venturi section H, the free end portion of said stop arm 36 abuts a stationary stop lug 31 with which the main body I is provided. Extending through said stop lug 31 is a motion limiting member 38 adjustably anchored by one end to the stop lug 31 by anchoring nut means 39. At its opposite end said member 38 is provided with a head 40. The free end portion of said stop arm 36 is preferably bifurcated to straddle said member 38, and mounted on and around the latter, between the stop arm' 36 and said head 49 is a compression spring 4|. Said spring yieldably holds said stop arm 36 in normal abutment against the stop lug 31, thus disposing I the spud holder in operative relation to the Venturi Section N. When the spud holder is manually out swung to give access to the spud 24 and Venturi section passages, the stop arm 36 is outswung against the tension of thespring 4| until its motion is arrested (see broken line representation of these parts in Fig. 4). When the spud holder is released by the operator, the compressed spring 4| will return the stop arm 36 to normal stopped abutment against the stop lug 31, and consequently the spud ,holder will be likewise returned to normal operative relation to the Venturi section l.

If desired, the spud holder may be provided with a handle or hand gripextension 42by means of which the operator may conveniently manipulate the same.

It will be obvious that when the spud holder is swung by the operators one hand to outwardly offset position (indicated by broken lines in Fig. 2), the spud 24 carried thereby will be accessibly exposed, so that the operator, while holding by one hand the spud holder in such out swung position, may use the other free hand for performance of spud cleaning and Venturi passage cleaning operations, upon completion of which, by mere release of the spud holder, the same automatically returns to operative relation to the Venturi section. In carrying out such operations, the gas supply is automatically shut off while the cleaning work is efiected, and is automatically turned on again, when the spud holder resumes operative position. It will be apparent, that rapid and efiective cleaning may be accomplished with but a minimum of interruption of the service of the inspirator structure, and, furthermore, such cleaning may be done without necessity for disconnecting any parts of the inspirator structure from their operative assembled relation, and without necessity for disturbing nicely adjusted positions of the air shutter means of the inspirator.

Referring to Figs. 5 and 6 of the drawings, I have shown therein a somewhat modified construction of inspirator structure which nevertheless embodies the principles of my instant invention. In this modifiedform, the outer end of the Venturi section is provided with a forwardly ofiset dependent body or bracket member 5|, preferably integral therewith. Pivotally connected by a Pivot pin 52' to the bracket member 5| is an upwardly extending carrier arm 52 which supports a ga delivery and spud holder means 53 in normal alignment with the passages of the Venturi section 50. Said means 53 is provided with a spud holder arm 53 upon the free end portion of which is adjustably mounted an air shutter member 54 and which carries in association with the lattera gas discharge spud 55. As thus pivotally supported, said gas delivery and spud holder means may be swung laterally to carry the air shutter member 54 and the spud 55 to accessibly disposed ofiset relation to the Venturi section 50, whereby to expose these parts tor cleaning (see broken line representation thereof in Fig. 5). Said gas delivery and spud holder means is provided with a gas passage 56fr'om which leads a duct '51 for communication with the spud 55. If desired, a strainer or filter element 51' may be connected with the intake end. of said duct 51.

The'gas delivery and spud holder means 53 is provided with automatic gas shut-off valve means. This means comprises a valve housing 58 which is supported by the lower end of said bracket, member 5|. Housed within said valve housing 58 is a combination ball joint and shutofi valve comprising a spherical body member 59 having a perpendicular and diametrically .disposed valve port60. At the bottom of said valve housing 58 is formed a, valve seat 6| surrounding a gas intake port 62. Said body member 59 engages said seat 6|. Within said valve housing :58 are arranged upper and lower packing rings 63 and 64, which engage the surfaces of the body member 59 with gas sealing efiect. Said body member 59 and packing rings 63 and 64 are held in operative assembled relation by a keeperring 65 which is threaded, onto the upper end of said valve housing 58, thus not only holding the-packing rings in sealing relation to the body member 59, but also holding the latter in operative engagement withthe valve seat 6|. The axis of turning movement of the valve body member 59 is aligned with the pivotal connection of the carrierv arm 52 with the bracket member 5|, so that the valve body member turns and the spud holder swings about a common axis. A gas supply pipe 66, leading from a suitable gas source, is connected with the valve housing 58, and in communication with the gas intake port 62 thereof. Connected;between the valve body member 59 and thespud holder means 53 is a gas passage arm 61 which links the outlet end of the valve. body member valve port 68 in communication with the gas passage 56 of said spud holder means. l l

It will be obvious that when the spud holder means is outswung, the valve body member 59 will be simultaneously rotated within the housing 58, whereby tomove the valve port 60 out .of alignment with the gas intake port 62, thereby :shutting off flow of gas through the spud holder and spud;

Means is also provided for both limiting the out-swinging movement of the spud holder and for automatically returning the same to normal operative relation to the Venturi section 50. As illustratively shown, this means comprises a perforate stop lug 68 which projects from the bracket member 5|, and against which the spud holder 53 is stopped when occupying operative aligned relation to the Venturi section 56. Pivotally connected with the spud holder 53, to extend there-' from through the perforate stop lug 68, is a. motion limiting member 69, the free end of which is provided with ahead"). Mounted on and around saidmember 69 between its head 16 and said stop lug 68 is a compression spring 1|, Said Spring yieldably ho ds said spud holder 53 in normal abutment against the stop lug 68, thus disposing the spud holder in operative relation to the Venturi section 50. When the spud holder153 is manually out swung to give access to the spud 55 and Venturi section passages, the spring 1| is compressed until motion is arrested. When the spud holder is released by the operator, the compressed spring 1| will return the spud holder'to normal operative relation ,to the Venturi section 50.

InFigJ is shown a further modified form of the'ihspirator Structure, which is, however, of I thesame general construction as that shown in "Pigs-.5 and-6 as'indicated by corresponding refholdenji. 'In the arrangement shown in Fig, '7 the werend of the bracket member is proi. .vitied with-,.a support 80 upon which is fixedly mounted a'valve'c'aslng 8| of the rotatable'plug type, theivalve plug 82 of which is suitably coupied with and so as to be turned by the swinging movements of the carrier arm 52; Said support 80"i's provided with a gas intake passage 83 leading to the intake side of said valve casing 8L Connected between the outlet sideof the valve casing 8|: and the spud holder 53 is a flexible hose, preferably of-the flexible metallic type.

gas intake passage 83 thereof.

preted as illustrative Said flexible hose yields readily to the swinging movements of the spud holder 53 relative to the fixed valve casing 8|. A gas supply pipe 85, leading from a suitable gas source, is connected with the support 80, and in communication with the If desired the shut-off valve means 8| may be omitted, and flow of gas separately controlled'by independent valve means with which the gas supply line is usually provided.

I am aware that various changes could-be made in the above described constructions, and that widely difierent embodiments of this invention :couldbe made without departing from the scopethereof as defined in the here following claims. It is therefore intended that all matter contained in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interand not in a limiting sense.

I claim:'

1. Inspirator means for gas burners'comprisinga Venturi section, a gas delivery and spud holder means having a discharge portion normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud, an air shutter meinber also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end ofsaid Venturi section, means to movably mount said gas delivery and spud, holder means subject to mameans having a .discharge portion normally align d with and-opposed to the intake end of saidlenturi section, said discharge portion havin agasdischarge spud, an air shutter member alsg'f-earried by said discharge portion for cooper'ationwith the intake end of said Venturi section, means to movably mount said gas deliveryand spud holder means subject to manipulat ion-for temporarily displacing .the discharge portion thereof from operative relation to'said Venturi section, whereby to 'accessibly expose said spud and airshutter member for cleaning, {means to limit the displacing movement ;of said gas delivery and spud holder means,

' andmeans for automatically returning thesame to operative relation to said Venturi section when released.

3. Inspirator means for gas burners comprising a. Venturi section, a gas delivery and spud holder means having a discharge portion normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, means to pivotall mount said gas delivery and spud holder means subject to swinging manipulation for temporarily displacing the samefrom normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section, whereby to accessibly expose said spud, air shutter and Venturi section passages for cleaning, and said gas delivery and spud holder means having g as shut-ofi valve means communicating with the gas passage thereof, said valve means being adapted to be automatically operated by swinging movements of said gas delivery and spud holder means,

4. Inspirator means for gas burners comprising a Venturi section, a gas delivery and spud holder means having a discharge portion normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, means to pivotally mount said gas delivery and spud holder means subject to swinging manipulation for temporarily -displacing the same from normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section, whereby to accessibly expose said spud, air shutter member and Venturi section passages for cleaning, said gas delivery and spud holder means having gas shut-off valve means communicating with the gas passage thereof, said valve means being adapted to be automatically operated by swinging movements of said gas delivery and spud holder means, and means to limit out swinging displacement of said gas delivery and spud holder means including means for automaticall returning the same to normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section when released.

5. Inspirator means for gas burners comprising a Venturi section, a valve housing adjacent the intake end of said Venturi section, said valve housing having a gas admission port, a gas supply pipe connected with said valve housing in communication with its admission port, a, normally open gas shut-off valve movable in said housing, a spud holder means having a discharge portion normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, said spud holder means being connected with said shut-off valve and having a gas delivery passage served by the latter, and

said spud holder means being laterally swingable to temporarily displace its discharge portion from normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section and simultaneously close said shut-off valve, whereby to accessibly expose said spud and air shutter member for cleaning.

6. Inspirator means for gas burners comprising a Venturi section, a valve housing adjacent the intake end of said Venturi section, said valve housing having a gas admission port, a gas supply pipe connectedwith said valve housing in communication with its admission port, a normally open gas shut-off valve movable in said housing, a spud holder means having a discharge portion normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, said spud holder means being connected with said shut-off valve and having a gas delivery passage served by the latter, said spud holder means being laterally swingable to temporarily displace its discharge portion from normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section and simultaneously close said shut-oil valve, whereby to accessibly expose said spud and air shutter member for cleaning, and means to limit out-swinging displacement of said spud holder means including means for automatically returning the same to normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section when'released.

7. Inspirator means for gas burners comprising a Venturi section, a valve housing ofiset from the intake end of said valve housing having a gas admission port, a gas supply pipe connected with said valve housing in communication with its admission port, a normally open gas shut-off valve comprising a valve plug rotatable-in said valve housing about an axis parallel to the axis of said Venturi section, said valve plug having an axial gas outlet and a lateral gas intake port, the latter being cooperative with said gas admission port of said valve housing, a spud holder extending outwardly and upwardly from said valve plug and adapted to swing laterally in company with turning movement thereof, said spud holder means having a discharge portion at its free end normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said spud holder means and its discharge portion having a gas passage in communication with the gas outlet of said valve plug, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud at its free end, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, and said spud holder means being laterally swingable to temporarily displace its discharge portion from normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section and simultaneously close said shut-off valve, whereby to accessibly expose said spud and air shutter member for cleaning.

8. Inspirator means for gas burners comprising a Venturi section, a valve housing offset from the intake end of said Venturi section, saidvalve housing having a gas admission port, a gas supply pipe connected with said valve housing in communication with its admission port, a normally open gas shut-off valve comprising a valve plug rotatable in said-valve housing about an axis parallel to the axis of said Venturi section, said valve plug having an axial gas outlet and a lateral gas intake port, the latter being cooperative with said gas admission port of said valve housing, a spud holder extending outwardly and upwardly from said valve plug and adapted to swing laterally in company with turning movements thereof, said spud holder means having a discharge portion at its freeend normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said spud holder means and its discharge portion having a gas passage in communication with the gas outlet of said valve plug,

said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud at its free end, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, said spud holder means being laterally swingable to temporarily displace its discharge portion from normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section and simultaneously close said shut-off valve, whereby to accessibly expose said spud and air shutter member for cleanin and means to limit cut-swinging displacement of said spud holder means including means for au tomatically returning the same to normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section when released.

ing a Venturi section, a gas delivery and spud holder means having a discharge portion normally aligned with and opposed to the intake end of said Venturi section, said discharge portion having a gas discharge spud, an adjustable air shutter member also carried by said discharge portion for cooperation with the intake end of said Venturi section, and means to pivotally mount said gas delivery and spud holder means subject to swinging manipulation for temporarily displacing the same from normal aligned operative relation to said Venturi section, whereby to accessibly expose said spud, air shutter member and Venturi section passages for cleaning.

AUBEN E. MOXLEY. 

